The Exposed Nerve
by his-love-for-a-night
Summary: After the war with Loki and his army, the Avengers had split. As Tony rebuilt his tower, he added an area for Dr. Bruce Banner to stay when he was out of hiding. Bruce accepted. Now, during Bruce's time in the Stark Tower, they go to the Burlesque Lounge and a dancer, Nikki, catches Banner's eyes. The love that begins to form is difficult for Banner to take it.
1. Chapter 1

Bruce looked up from his experiment once he saw a crunched up piece of paper hit the wall behind him, missing its original target, him.

"Come on, big guy. We're going out." Tony Stark was entering Bruce's new science lab that he had built for him in his newly designed tower.

After The Avengers had gone their separate ways, Tony and his…assistant…Pepper Potts had begun rebuilding the Stark tower and had decided to build an additional room and lab just for his new friend, Dr. Bruce Banner a.k.a. The Hulk. Bruce had accepted their offer and was on his way to rejoining the social race. At times, he would have to flee into hiding but always returned soon after.

Bruce chuckled. "I'm a little busy right now."

"You've been busy for the last month since you've came back. Now come on. I am going to take you, Dr. Smash, to a club a few blocks away. It's amazing. Well, so I've heard. I've been waiting for you to come back to party at it. Let's go check it out." Tony shifted and tapped a rhythm on the table that the doctor was working on.

Bruce stayed focused in his experiment before saying, "You know that I try to stay away from clubs."

"Yes, I do know, but this is a lounge really. It's called the Burlesque longue. Heard of it? No? Didn't expect you to. This place is said to have the best view on Sunset Strip. Oddly enough, it has no widows. Hm…" Tony looked down for a moment to analyze what he had just said, "Well, that doesn't make any sense. Anyways, we're going."

Bruce remained in his thought process.

"Doc, you need to get out of this house. One night, it'll be fun."

"If I go, will you allow me to continue working afterwards?"

"Hell, I'll buy you a new toy for your chemistry set."

Taking off his glasses, Bruce set them down and finally met the other man's gaze.

They stared at each other for a moment before Tony said, "Good, suit up!" He began to walk out and shouted as he went down the hall, "And I don't mean get angry!"

Bruce closed the information that he had on the transparent computer screen and turned off his gamma reader. He shut down the lights in the lab by rapping a code on the control panel by the door and went to his bedroom down the hall.

As he walked into his bedroom, his eyes drifted to a black, thick, plastic bag that laid nicely on the bed with shoes and a note reading: Suit up. Taking the bag, he unzipped it and revealed a gray suit with an expensive red, silk undershirt.

Bruce threw the bag back down onto the bed, went to his dresser and grabbed a dark blue button-up and black dress pants. He grabbed the shoes off the bed and made his way to the bathroom that attached to his bedroom.

xxXXxx

Tony and Bruce sat in a booth near the end of the bar moments after their conversation in the tower. Bruce sat uncomfortably, drinking his light liquor while watching the women on stage dance to the great singers off a track. Tony, on the other hand, slouched back in comfort with a stronger drink in his hand.

He whistled and waved over the waitress, "What's your name, sweetheart?"

"Ali," the waitress said with a perfectly even tone.

"Well, Ali, we," Tony waved a hand between Bruce and himself, "would like the good stuff for the table."

Bruce snapped his attention to their conversation. "Uh, no. I don't want anymore. Thanks."

Tony responded with, "Yes, you do, hulky-poo." He snapped his fingers together and pointed to Bruce. "He does."

Ali nodded. "Coming right up."

"Stark by the way. Tony Stark. Know of me?"

"Well, of course." Ali smirked and took away Tony's glass that only held ice now.

"And this," Tony gripped Bruce's shoulder, "is Br-"

"Hulky-poo?" Ali smiled teasingly. "Kidding. Bruce Banner. It's a pleasure to meet both of you."

As Ali smiled, a new spotlight hit the stage and caught Bruce's attention. The beaded curtains opened as a new dancer stepped out onto stage, causing confusion on stage and on the floor.

Bruce could feel his mouth tugging upwards as he watched the new girl.

Ali had seen Nikki, the dancer who just took the stage, and rolled her eyes at her desire for attention.

"I'll be right back with your drinks." Ali walked away, holding the tray with the empty glass on top of it.

"Awesome. Thank you." Tony relaxed back once again and watched the show.

The song had ended and the two dancers fought on stage to get the last applause from the audience.

"She's a looker," Tony stated.

"Which one?" Bruce only took a half interest in the conversation that was beginning. Bruce just wanted to watch the brunette dancer.

"The red head."

Bruce glanced at her and shrugged but before he could look back at the brunette, they both disappeared behind the curtain.

"Here you go," Ali slid the tray on their table. She placed Tony's refill in front of him, a few empty glasses and a bottle of the 'good stuff' on the table as well.

"Thanks, sugar," Tony winked and drank.

Ali rolled her eyes playfully. "Do you enjoy your nicknames, Mr. Stark?"

"Yes, yes I do. Now tell me, those two girls that were bickering on stage, what are their names?"

Banner took a sip of his drink, finishing it off and took interest in the conversation now.

"Uh..." Ali glanced at the stage that was now filled with a different group of dancers, "The red head that was there first, that was Georgia."

"Georgia," Tony played around with the name, "I like it."

"What about the other?" Bruce blurted out, cutting off Tony from the rest of his speaking. Bruce cleared his throat to calm himself. "What about her? What's her name?" Bruce blushed out of embarrassment.

"Nikki." He nodded and leaned back into the cushion of the booth. "Well, I have to get back to the floor," Ali pointed over her back and took a few steps back slowly, dragging her black, alcohol bleached tray off the table. She then proceeded to turn around and continued working.

The second show ended.

"Two shots. Now." Nikki had gone to the bar in fast pace, almost unable to stop herself.

The bar tender looked up casually, cleaning a glass. "You know better than that, Nikki."

Tony casually eavesdropped. He was eyeing the third show but his ears where turned, listening to the bartender's and Nikki's conversation.

"Oh, come on, Jack! I'm going on soon. I need a kick."

"No," Jack walked away.

Nikki slammed her palms on the bar and let out an annoyed sound.

That caught Banner's attention.

Tony glanced between Bruce and Nikki, deciding what play he should take.

He whistled once more, catching Nikki's eye and smoothly waved her over.

Nikki looked around and then walked over to their booth. Tony held up one of the empty glasses and the bottle.

Nikki smiled.


	2. Chapter 2

Nikki's cup was refilled frequently in the short period of time while she sat with Bruce Banner and Tony Stark.

Unlike before, Bruce begun to drink his liquor more "casually" around Nikki.

"You should have fainted by now," Tony teased.

"Why would I?"

Bruce nervously rubbed his hands together between his knees, "So how long have you been working here?"

"You obviously don't know who I am," Tony chewed on ice displeased.

Nikki became confused quickly forming a frown. Before she could figure out what they were saying a bald man with glasses on his face and a cigarette in his hand had grabbed her arm and yanked her out of her chair.

Disappointed he said, "You know Tess won't like this. Give back and get ready! You're on in five or else Georgia will go on for you again."

Nikki rolled her eyes with attitude and turned to the booth, glancing back and forth between the two men that she didn't recognize as famous supernatural people.

Bruce smiled slightly, "Well, I…uh-I guess you have to go back to work then?"

Tony held his glass up slightly to say goodbye before putting it to his lips to get the last drop out once again.

Nikki nodded, "Enjoy the show," She smiled at Stark and gave a wink to Bruce before walking quickly towards the back room.

xxXXxx

It was the usual noise level outside of the Burlesque Longue when they walked out, two hours before the lounges closing time. Horns were honking, people were shouting, and lights flickered in various places of the large city.

When out of ear range Tony stated, "I was expecting a bit more from it," and shrugged.

"I liked it."

"You liked her?" Tony pointed to a metal staircase that was above the Burlesque entrance. On the landing of the staircase was Nikki, smoking a cigarette and watching them leave.

Bruce and Tony stopped walking and looked back.

Bruce sighed pleasurably.

"I watched as you gazed after her. Admit it, you like her."

Banner shook his head, watching his feet, not wanting to look back at her, or at Stark. Bruce's' hands were in the pockets of his dress pants, keeping them from the breeze that came at the end of summer.

"Come on big guy, we aren't in junior high."

"She's appealing."

"Good, we'll go back next week. Hell, we'll go back tomorrow."

As Tony made the plan of returning to the club, Bruce looked up above the Burlesque entrance to see if she was still inhaling the cigarette; she was. Once Tony said the last of his plans, Bruce snapped into reality.

"Uh-no…no," Banner took his hands out of his pockets and started waving them frantically to his rebellion.

"It'll be a party."

"I don't see how that would be a party."

"She's _hot_. Look at her!"

Bruce looked up at her. He focused on her curving figure but noticed her focused eyes and a smirk as if she was looking at prey.

"Okay, fine. Next week," He stayed focused on her, giving a slight smile.

"Good," Tony swung his hand around, grabbing Bruce's hand and shaking it.

Just as Stark had done so, his phone goes off. Tony takes it out of his jacket and answers with one of his breath taking greetings and talks stilly for a few moments, only replying with "mhmm" and "okay."

When Tony begins to speak to Pepper, Bruce walked the way he came, getting closer to Nikki. He finally reaches the sidewalk before the metal staircase where Nikki stood. The cigarette she previously held in her hand had burned out and she now rested one wrist over the other, watching him stroll over.

"Back to watch more of the show?"

Bruce shook his head and lets out a slight, nervous laugh.

"What a shame, hoping you would stick around for after the show," she winked.

"This really isn't my scene but don't get me wrong, you're a great dancer."

"Why thank you."

"You're very welcome," Bruce smirks shyly.

"Come back and watch again. We'll get drinks afterwards."

"How does next week sound?"

"I'll be waiting," Nikki smiles and goes back inside, throwing a glance over her shoulder.

Bruce stays standing there for a moment before he feels a hand on his should.

"We gotta go," Tony begins walking, tugging Bruce along behind him.

"What's going on? Who was that?"

"Pepper. Someone came around the tower asking where you were. They blew a hole in my wall," Tony stops and looks at Bruce, "I just fixed that wall." He begins walking again, releasing Bruce's shoulder finally, allowing Bruce to walk independently.

Bruce had stayed calm while receiving this message. He always has to go into hiding at unexpected times. It was his life now; it has been his life for… _ever_.

"After we go to the tower and pick up your stuff- which will be already packed- I'll drop you at the airport. Go to New Zealand. That's where Pepper is making your reservations and whatever not."

Tony then proceeds to pull out a cell phone, "here. Keep this with you. I'll be able to track it. I made it and hacked the signal towers so you don't have to worry about payments. All on me."

"I can't take this. It is easy for me to just… adapt to the world around me without help."

"It's New Zealand not India or wherever the hell you disappear to."

Bruce nods his head in silence, taking the phone.

Tony had been going over the speed limit by 40 mph in the open.

Bruce noticed this, "Where is everyone? All of the cars?"

Stark shook his head, "Don't worry about it," he speed up.

Back at the tower, Pepper was sitting in the living room, going through files when they had walked in. She stood up, handing Bruce the papers.

"Passport, Plain Ticket, and some money."

"Money's not necessary."

"My gift," Tony slapped his arm and walked by him, picking up his bag.

"Thanks," Bruce muttered, taking the papers.

Bruce sighed in the car.

"Exhausting night isn't it?"

"I guess I won't be partying at the lounge anytime soon."

"I'll deliver the news that you had to… leave on an urgent business trip. High-class stuff," Tony smirked.

"No. I'm not getting her involved in lies, Tony."

"What? You're attached to her now?"

"No… but, in case something happens, I don't want anyone to get hurt. I had a single interaction with her but that's good enough for someone to use her as bait to get me. Just don't speak of me to her."

"Fair enough."


End file.
